immunnofluorescent staining and tissue blotting techniques were applied in the detection and differentiation of a mycoplasmalike organism (MLO) associated with sweetpotato witches' broom (SPWB) with monoclonal antibodies. SPWB-MLO was differentiated from MLOs associated with paulownia, loofah, and Ipomoea obscura witches' brooms, aster and ash yellows, and rice yellow dwarf in both serological tests. SPWB-MLO was also proved to be serologically related to peanut and asparagus bean witches' broom MLOs, and MLOs associated with witches' broomed weeds, Rhynchosia minima and Alysicarpus vaginalis. Using both techniques, SPWB-MLO was readily detected in tissue sections of roots, stems, and leaf midribs prepared from diseased sweetpotato and periwinkle, and also in sections of the fleshy receptacle and the basal part of the ovary prepared from diseased periwinkle.